|
"El Auto" is filled with cars, and people who love them. Here is a vintage red Chevy which can often be spotted on West 207th Street. PHOTO: QPHOTONYC
By David Keisman
For the last year the Manhattan Times has published the column Living El Alto. Our newspaper’s objective is to share The Heights; what it means to live here, to breathe here, to play here. After twelve years of publishing this newspaper, I have come to the conclusion that the column could have been called Living El Auto.
Yes Auto, as in vehiculo, automóvil, car.
This neighborhood is car-crazy.
There is a respect for automobiles, for your own and someone else’s. There is a club, a code, camaraderie among people who own and drive cars in El Alto. There are driving rules unique to our neighborhood.
Parking dogma which, if not followed, might lead to finding one’s car boxed in on an alternate side day with no way out.
Neighbors, strangers even, watch over each other’s cars.
I have always felt that, in El Auto, a stranger would sooner step in if seeing a car vandalized than if they were witnessing a bank robbery.
In El Auto (I’m starting to like the sound of that), many of us install concert hall sound systems in our cars. On 10th Avenue and 212th Street, next to a tire shop selling rims and fixing flats, there is an endless stream of customers installing window tinting and pampering their cars with accessories.
I’d argue that the gas stations in El Auto are, essentially, beauty parlors for men. If you want to hear news and tall tales go to the BP gas station, and keep your ears open.
Men, and women, are making it up as they go along.
In the Dominican Republic, from where many of the people in El Auto come, the car wash is a Saturday night celebration. I may start a car wash here.
I’ll be naming it the “Wash and Wepa”.
Fact: El Auto has more gas stations, car washes, tire shops, window tinters, mechanics, collision shops and sound installers than anywhere in Manhattan.
How do I know that’s true? It was told to me as fact at the gas station – where lies, especially about cars, are not permitted.
No one in his or her right mind should be in a car on a Friday evening or Saturday in El Auto. However, EVERYBODY who owns a car is on the road at those times. It takes one hour just to go ten blocks.
And we know how to drive in El Auto.
Take a look at the rules of the road as published by a car rental place in the Dominican Republic. I too learned these rules, but while taking Driver’s Ed on the Lower East Side.
- The only law that is enforced is that you must wear your seat belt. If you don't, you have to pay a fine.
- The right of way is given to the vehicle which is on the bigger street.
- A truck has priority before cars.
- Green light indicates, that you can go; still, be cautious, it's possible other cars could cross.
- Red light means, “Please stop and check the traffic. If you cannot see anybody, then you can drive.”
- You can pass a car on the right or left side. It doesn't matter.
- Speed limits do exist, but there is no control. But, you shouldn’t drive more than 120 kilometers on the highway and 80 kilometers on other roads. Inside villages reduce to 40 kilometers, because children play on the streets.
- If you want to make a left turn, it's possible that other cars will still pass on the left hand side, even if they can see in the darkness your indication.
The truth is that, in El Auto, there is a respect for fellow drivers, a willingness to help someone whose car is stuck, and to help you shovel out of a snowdrift.
We watch over each other’s prized possessions, our cars.
The other day I pulled up behind a car to park. The car in front of me, engine gunning, was preparing to leave the parking spot, when it stopped abruptly, and a man jumped out. He was waving his little white Muni-meter ticket at me.
“Hey, I got 15 minutes left on this, youwannit? No charge,” he offered.
“No thanks,” I said, “I need more time.”
He shrugged and sped away.
I like cars, I like car people.
We have car culture in El Auto. We have codes.
We take care of each other.
Happy Holidays El Alto; drive safely.
|
